SwedishAmerican employees start Goodwill drive

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is teaming up with SwedishAmerican Health System employees from Oct. 15-29 to collect clothing and other gently-used household items. Revenue from the sale of these items will help fund Goodwill’s mission of creating opportunities for individuals with barriers in the community. The donations also reflect SwedishAmerican’s commitment to helping keep the community green. Donations to Goodwill are recycled and repurposed instead of going straight to the area’s landfills.

“Goodwill is thrilled to have SwedishAmerican Health System participate in the donation drive,” stated Sam Schmitz, president of Goodwill Industries. “The SwedishAmerican employee donations will help provide individuals with the opportunity to experience the dignity to work through Goodwill’s employment programs.”

“We are pleased to partner with Goodwill,” said SwedishAmerican Health System President and CEO Dr. Bill Gorski. “This is an excellent opportunity to help our community during these tough economic times. We hope that the employees of SwedishAmerican will respond with the generosity and empathy we have come to rely on by donating to Goodwill.”

The SwedishAmerican Donation Drive will kick off at 9 a.m., Oct. 15, at the Heart Hospital, 1401 E. State St., Rockford. SwedishAmerican Health System President and CEO Dr. William Gorski will be present, as well as Goodwill President Sam Schmitz and Goodwill’s mascot, G. Willikers.

In 2009, SwedishAmerican hosted a similar employee donation drive with Goodwill, where almost 11,000 pounds of donated clothing and household goods were collected — an all-time employee donation drive record. SwedishAmerican hopes to beat that record this year.

The employee donation drive will take place in 17 SwedishAmerican clinic and hospital facilities throughout northern Illinois.